American Mother Killed in Irish Tourist Town as Police Pursue Suspect in International Manhunt

An American mother from New York has been found dead in her residence in one of Ireland’s most visited tourist towns, with authorities saying a person of interest left the country. Several Irish media outlets have reported that the individual being sought is an asylum seeker.

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin identified the victim as Jamey Carney. An Garda Síochána, Ireland’s national police service, said the 43-year-old was discovered dead Tuesday at a property in Killarney, County Kerry.

Investigators said the person of interest departed Ireland in the early hours of Tuesday, before Carney’s body was found and the incident was reported. Police have opened a murder investigation and said they are working with international law enforcement agencies.

Carney had lived in Westchester County, north of New York City, before relocating to Ireland in 2021 with her young daughter, the Irish Independent reported.

The State Department confirmed to INC News that a U.S. citizen died in County Kerry on July 7 and said consular support was being provided to the victim’s relatives.

“The Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans,” the department said.

According to the Irish Mirror, the person of interest was an asylum seeker housed in state-provided accommodation in Killarney and is believed to have traveled to Turkey. The publication also reported that the man, who had previously lived in France and the United Kingdom, knew Carney and often stayed at her home.

Carney’s social media profiles described her as a “New Yorker in Ireland” and showed her with a man she identified as her partner. In one recent post, she referred to them as a “mixed couple.” Police have not identified the person of interest or said whether he is the man featured in the posts.

Documents reviewed by INC News indicate she also had ties to Rockland County, New York, and northern New Jersey, while INC News sources said she was a familiar face along Yonkers’ McLean Avenue, a neighborhood with a large Irish American community.

The Irish Independent, citing sources, reported Carney was found with bedclothes covering her body and had suffered severe head and neck injuries with indications she may have fought to defend herself. The room was heavily bloodstained, according to the outlet.

Investigators believe the person of interest first arrived in the United Kingdom before traveling to Ireland, RTÉ reported. Detectives have contacted airline and transport officials and are coordinating with British authorities as they work to establish his identity and movements.

Despite the international search, Irish police have not released the man’s name, image or a description, saying they are not in a position to comment on his age, name or nationality for legal reasons, according to RTÉ.

The news has rattled the picturesque southwest Irish town, a gateway to Killarney National Park and the famed Ring of Kerry, two of Ireland’s biggest draws for American visitors.

Carney’s LinkedIn profile indicated she moved to Ireland in 2021 to work for a healthcare outsourcing company after previously working as an insurance agent and real estate salesperson in the New York metropolitan area.

Her social media accounts are filled with selfies and content with her daughter as well as her partner. It shows she also supported the Free Palestinian movement, and her bio included criticism of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Carney is being remembered locally as a devoted mother who loved living in Killarney.

Councillor Martin Grady, who said he knew her personally, told the Irish Independent she was “a loving, caring mother” and “always happy and smiling.”

Carney marked the Fourth of July with her partner just days before her death, according to her social media account.